fbpx

Hermanus in the heart of the Cape Whale Coast of South AfricaContact Us

Clarence Drive is one of the most coastal scenic routes the Cape Peninsula.

  • Tuesday, 26 June 2018
  • Author: Jeanette du Toit
  • Page Views: 35426
Clarence Drive is one of the most coastal scenic routes the Cape Peninsula.

This coastal scenic road follows the spectacular 48km stretch of coast between Gordon’s Bay and Kleinmond along what is known as False Bay, squashed between the sea and the foothills of the Hottentots Holland Mountains.

Clarence Drive7 5840 o

This beautiful, coastal drive stretches 48km from Gordons Bay, hugging Cape Whale coastline all the way to the tiny, seaside village of Rooi Els, where it suddenly turns inland and rises steeply up to the coastal plateau and swings inland to Pringle Bay, the next seaside village to discover about 5 kilometres from Rooiels and later rejoins the coast at Betty's Bay. Betty's Bay, once the site of a whaling station, is situated 10 kilometres alongClarence Drive from Pringle Bay. Betty's Bay is home to the Harold Porter National Botanical Garden and one of the only two mainland Jackass Penguin Colonies in South Africa. Travelling from Betty's Bay onwards, you will cross the Palmiet River and thereafter reach the first Kleinmond houses.

Clarence Drive 2 800

Clarence Drive provides pleasant whale watching spots, all along the route where you can stop and watch the Southern Right Whales visit the bays of the South African coastline every year during June to December.

The whole coast belongs to the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, a part of the Cape Floral Kingdom which is the most species dense of all the world’s Plant Kingdoms. With about one thousand six hundred plant species found in barely ten square miles, the area Clarens Drive passes through contains a floral diversity per unit area that is greater than anywhere else on the planet. The area is also home to a vast array of wildlife including Cape Leopards, African Weasels, African Wild Cats, Caracals (African Lynxes), Small and Large-Spotted Genets, Cape Foxes, Aardwolfs, Baboons, Cape Clawless Otters, Water Mongooses, Small and Large Grey Mongooses, Striped Polecats, Honey Badgers, Porcupines, Rock Hyraxes, Red Rock Rabbits, Cape and Scrub Hares, Klipspringers, Cape Grysboks, Common Duikers, Grey Rhebucks, and even Bushbucks.

Clarence Drive41n

Bit of History - Clarence Drive was named after Jack Clarence who was responsible for replacing the footpath between Gordon's Bay and Rooi Els with a proper road. It was built with the help of Italian POWs during WW2 and stretches all the way from Gordons's Bay into Kleinmond and the heart of the Kogelberg Biosphere.
Until the Second World War when the coastal road (Clarence Drive) from Gordon's Bay was built to service the radar stations at Stony Point and at Hangklip, the area was accessed via Sir Lowry's Pass and Kleinmond and a pontoon crossing the Palmiet River.

Source

Images:  Wesgro, Jaydee Media and Martin Etsebeth

Call us and schedule your listing today! Contact Us

whale watching hermanus

WHALE WATCHING

in and around Hermanus

With countless Southern Right Whales gathering along the Whale coast every year to mate and to calve

LEARN MORE

sharkdiving43

Shark Cage Diving

One for the Bucket list

Experience the exceptional and come face to face with a great white shark! Gansbaai also known as Shark Alley…

Learn More

hermanus wine tasting

WINE TASTING

4 x Wine Routes

Hermanus is surrounded by 4 Wine routes, the Hermanus - (Hemel-and-Aarde); Stanford -, Elim - and Botriver Wine Route

LEARN MORE

hiking

Top Activities

in the Cape whale Coast

Hermanus is a spectacular seaside town with winding cliff paths, sloping green mountains, and deep blue waters.

Learn More